Journey Through Gracehttps://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com
Thoughts on Life and Christ from a Stay at Home MomMon, 14 Aug 2017 13:33:39 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngJourney Through Gracehttps://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com
Joining A Gymhttps://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/joining-a-gym/
https://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/joining-a-gym/#commentsMon, 26 Aug 2013 13:25:11 +0000http://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/?p=282Continue reading →]]>My husband got me a gym membership last week, it is pretty awesome. We have to drive 30 minutes (he’s getting an amazing deal from his work), so that will probably limit my use quite a bit, but I’m hoping to go 2-3 times a week. The first time I went, they gave me a tour and I spent my time doing weight machines and a little bit of elliptical and stair stepping. I was so incredibly sore. I could feel my ribs, who knew we even had muscles on our ribs? We went as a family after church yesterday and the kids went swimming in the pool while my husband and I took turns working out. Too bad the pool closes in a few weeks for fall. I’m planning on testing their indoor tennis court rules by bringing my kids there in the winter and letting them “pretend” to hit balls and run around. Maybe I’m giving them too little credit and they’ll be able to play tennis better than me? They also have a daycare I will probably use and they’ll even take my 7-almost-8 year old. I’m excited about it. Hopefully, I can grow back some of the muscles I lost from the pregnancies.

New Goals!
-no eating after 8!
-exercise 5x per week and keep track of it on the calendar
-keep a food journal

I got this from Lisa Jacobson of Club31women.com and loved it so much I decided to share it and put it on my refridgerator. I hope it blesses you as much as it blesses me.

]]>https://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/08/25/24-ways-to-prepare-your-young-girl-to-become-a-lovely-woman/feed/8journeythrugraceCoffee Addicthttps://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/coffee-addict/
https://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/coffee-addict/#commentsSat, 02 Feb 2013 18:50:32 +0000http://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/?p=205Continue reading →]]>So I’m on day seven of Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred, the workouts are finally getting easier although I’m still doing modified push-ups. I think I can handle moving up to level two. I stepped on the scale before my shower hoping….hoping…and nothing. I still haven’t lost any weight. I’ve been doing okay eating, well maybe I had an egg biscuit sandwich yesterday, that probably wasn’t good, and maybe I did have some chocolate chips before bed last night. Okay, I need to start tracking my food, really start tracking it, and planning what I’m going to eat BEFORE I eat it.

God, you are a God who can do ALL things, You can do anything! Please help me to get rid of this ugly stomach, that’s all I’m asking, just this one thing….and you know what pops into my head? Coffee. Really God, coffee? This doesn’t sound like it’s from the bible, I’m not sure that’s You speaking, maybe it’s just my subconscious putting weird things into my head. Coffee isn’t supposed to be that bad for you. I’m Swedish, coffee and cinnamon rolls are what I’ve been consuming since I was 4 yrs old. Home isn’t home without the smell of coffee brewing. I do put about an eighth cup of cream and a spoonful of sugar in it, and I do drink it all day long when it’s cold out. Water is gross. I don’t want to give up my coffee!!!!! But I do want to get rid of this ugly ugly stomach. But this weekend we’ll be travelling. Okay, giving it up on Monday. God, I’m going to need your help, and I’m going to need a new smell in my house to replace coffee smell. Please make my house smell like home if I have to give up coffee.

By Friday, we go stir crazy in this house. Especially with the cold weather keeping us inside, so I make my kids do the minimum of schoolwork…math, reading, and writing and we take off and spend the day somewhere exciting. Today we went to the discovery center, you can see Prov painting, and Hope and Cara made a huge fort out of bendy tubes.

]]>https://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/02/01/discovery-fridays/feed/2journeythrugraceimageimageimageExercising With Kids is Crazyhttps://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/exercising-with-kids-is-crazy/
https://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/exercising-with-kids-is-crazy/#commentsThu, 31 Jan 2013 14:59:09 +0000http://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/?p=193Continue reading →]]>Working out becomes more challenging with three kids added to the mix. Since it’s so cold outside I’ve been doing Jillian Michael’s 30 day Shred videos. They are only 20 minutes long, but it is HARD!

Anyway, I discovered the kids add an extra challenge. The energetic music draws them in to the excitement, when I get down for push-ups Prov tries to climb onto my back, when I lay down for sit-ups, she snuggles up close beside me and makes it difficult not to hit her. I have to keep two extra sets of very light weights for Prov and Cara. Cara does the jumping jacks and weight exercises next to me, but then she starts swinging the weights and smashes her finger or rolls one onto her toe and I have to pause the video to comfort her. Yesterday Prov decided to pee on the floor behind me while I was exercising, she never does this, I wonder if she was jealous of my attention? They seem to find lots of questions that need to be answered when they see me busy working out. I also have to be careful not to hit anyone in the head with the hand weights as they stay busy around me. During my short 20 minute workout, I usually have to hit the pause button three or four times for minor emergencies that need to be handled right away.

I like seeing them jump up and down and their jumping jacks and forward punches are very cute. Overall, it makes me happy to do something with them that they enjoy. I’m just hoping for a smoother workout today, maybe only two pauses of the video and no injuries or messes on the floor would be good.

]]>https://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/exercising-with-kids-is-crazy/feed/10journeythrugraceimageFamily Budgetinghttps://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/family-budgeting/
https://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/family-budgeting/#commentsThu, 31 Jan 2013 05:17:24 +0000http://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/?p=190Continue reading →]]>I always thought I was good at budgeting until I actually did it, I’ve tried to start one several times but we don’t spend very much or buy anything big so we do okay. No need to worry about it if you don’t buy anything big. My husband takes care of the bills, doctor stuff, car stuff, dates, and family outings; so I just need to worry about groceries, me, clothing, and the girls stuff. This has been my first year as a stay at home mom and we don’t have as much money as usual, but in the last month I’ve tried something different that seems to be working well. On Fridays, my husband gives me weekly money and that’s all I get to spend for the week. It took us a few weeks to figure out what a good amount would be. It’s enough that I can save a little if I’m tight but I have enough for food, lessons, and gas every week. There’s usually a little extra for something for the girls or clothes or if I’m needing to splurge on myself a little. This week I had to buy ballet costumes which were expensive, so we ate more food out of the pantry and freezer than usual. I like this method because I’m not very organized with envelopes and the only thing I have to keep track of is how much money is left in my wallet, sometimes I run out and then I can’t buy anything until Friday comes around again. I haven’t been able to save anything yet, so I need to figure out how to not be so greedy. How do you handle the budgeting in your home?]]>https://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/family-budgeting/feed/6journeythrugraceGoing Forwardhttps://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/going-forward/
https://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/going-forward/#respondWed, 30 Jan 2013 22:03:40 +0000http://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/?p=186Continue reading →]]>Small steps forward against the wind
Forces trying to pull me back into the abyss
A dark place of fear and demons
It would be so easy to turn around
Keeping my eyes upwards steady on the light
Falling forwards to hope
Believing His promises and not the buttery smooth lies
-Sis

]]>https://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/going-forward/feed/0journeythrugraceThe Planhttps://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/the-plan/
https://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/the-plan/#commentsMon, 28 Jan 2013 03:51:32 +0000http://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/?p=162Continue reading →]]>I’ve been exercising to Jillian Michael’s “The Shred” the last few days and am incredibly sore. It’s making me more sore than running ever did so I’m going to keep doing it. I also plan on printing off Ann Voskamp’s Sanity Manifesto (pictured above) and framing it on my kitchen wall to help organize the days. I love her advice of starting the day in the word, working out, and making a plan. If I could just do that much, I would be so far ahead of where I am now.

It’s been a busy weekend, no house showings, so we got a lot of work done on the new closet and bathroom, I think the closet only needs paint and it’s finished!

The girls are fighting with each other often, I keep separating them but I need to figure out a better solution. Even the two yr old has figured out how to pull hair….at least she’s not biting

]]>https://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/the-plan/feed/9journeythrugracehttp://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/01/life-plan-day-planner-sanity-manifesto-printable/Mom Lifehttps://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/mom-life/
https://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/mom-life/#commentsSun, 11 Nov 2012 22:03:57 +0000http://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/?p=153Continue reading →]]>Had an amazing date last night with my husband, we went to eat at a really good Italian restaurant and then played darts at a bar with another couple who have been good friends for a long time. We got home late and slept through church this morning, our daughters have been restless today. I think they’re ready for some action, they keep buzzing around me like flies needing something to do.

We are having a family night tonight, my husband found a cake in the grocery store made from Cake Boss (one of our favorite shows), and I think we’ll do a family devotional and some hallway bowling with tall cups and a soccer ball.
Some goals for this week for me are to:
1. Write down the food I eat
2. Exercise Daily
3. Check back here next Sunday with results.

]]>https://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/mom-life/feed/5journeythrugraceRamblings on Our Dayhttps://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/ramblings-on-our-day/
https://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/ramblings-on-our-day/#commentsTue, 16 Oct 2012 03:14:20 +0000http://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/?p=151Continue reading →]]>We made paper mermaid tales and got stressed out by the timers on free online typing games for kids today. My husband put “The Chronicles of Narnia” on the girls’ ipod for them to listen to at night and they love it. We made a pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting and I bought a new pencil box for Cara. Hers has been broken and had a huge hole in it for over a month and she never complains, she just turns it upside down so the crayons don’t fall out, I love that about her; it is a strength and a weakness.

I gave lots of hugs and cuddles and throwings into the air today, we had a relaxed morning cleaning and playing and an intense afternoon doing workbooks, flashcards, and reading books. My husband and I are sharing the frosting container from the cake, I’d thought of a new diet rule that I can’t have anything sweet unless I lick it off of him, but I haven’t told him about it yet, he might reinforce it :).

My supper turned out amazing tonight, the chicken was juicy and cooked just right and the homemade French fries were delish too. That doesn’t happen too much, so I’m reveling in it.

I don’t understand when to love the world despite their sin and when to withdraw from them because of the awfulness of their sin. I wish it were easier, we are told to love them, but sometimes what they do and say are so painful to watch that it is hard to be around them.

I am thankful for good friends who I can go to when I have questions, I’m thankful for my family, and for our ten butterflies flying in a netted cage in our living room, I’m thankful for hamsters that keep two year olds excited about life, I’m thankful for busy days at home with my family.